‘Japanese Steph Curry’ Keisei Tominaga just wants to enjoy basketball – and fulfil his NBA dream

SINGAPORE: The man some call the Japanese Stephen Curry has more in common with one of the greatest-ever basketball players, than just the ability to let it fly from distance.
Keisei Tominaga shares the same height, same jersey number in college and same kind of joy when he takes to the court.
Earlier this year, the 23-year-old even signed a multi-year deal with Curry’s brand, becoming the first international athlete to do so.
His dream is to one day play in the same league as the star of the National Basketball Association team Golden State Warriors.
“Just making the NBA; stepping on an NBA court,” he told CNA on Friday (Sep 13). “After that, I might have a different goal, but right now it is to make it to the NBA for sure.”
Tominaga is in Singapore with a selection of players from the NBA’s G League, who are competing in the 2024 International Basketball Federation or FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
The G League is the official minor league organisation of the NBA.
In Tominaga’s G League United debut last week, the guard finished with 12 points in 17 minutes, making three 3-pointers. 
In Singapore, the team made progressed to the tournament final before falling to Spanish side Unicaja. Tominaga averaged eight minutes and two points in the FIBA competition.
“I dont think that it’s like that big (a) difference from (college basketball),” said the former University of Nebraska–Lincoln star.
“But obviously … I still need to have more experience.”
Tominaga’s love for basketball began from a young age. 
Both his parents played basketball at a high level, with his father Hiroyuki representing Japan at the 1998 FIBA World Championship and playing professionally for a number of years.
“The reason I started basketball is because of him,” said Tominaga.
“I grew up watching him play basketball and that makes me want to be like him. That’s the biggest reason I started playing.”
It was during his time in the United States, in particular Nebraska state, where Tominaga rose to prominence.
During his time on the Nebraska Cornhuskers team, he cemented his reputation as one of the top scoring guards in his field, with his ability from beyond the arc standing out.
“College basketball helped me a lot in my basketball career,” said Tominaga. “The coaching staff is great. Scouting is great.
“Everything is very detailed, you have to think a lot to play in college basketball. It’s good to be in a college basketball team when you’re at a young age, because you have to think a lot; execute very well to be able to play there.”
Over the years, comparisons with Curry began to emerge. 
“When I was going to Nebraska, people started calling me Japanese Steph Curry, (also) because I wear number 30,” he recalled. “It’s not any pressure to me, it’s just that they are calling me that, it’s not like I think about it.”
What also stands out about Tominaga is how he plays the game with lots of joy.
“Being (able to) enjoy (things) on court makes me feel like I can show my basketball skills more (than if I were) nervous and stuff,” he explained. “Having fun on the court is the most important thing for me.”
And that also shines through when watching Curry, who won Olympic gold with Team USA at the Paris Olympics.
“He looks like he enjoys playing basketball too. He celebrates when he makes a shot, even when his teammate makes a shot,” said Tominaga. “That’s what attracted me when I watched him.”
After graduating from college, Tominaga declared his eligibility for this year’s NBA Draft.
While he went undrafted, the Indiana Pacers later signed him on a one-year, minimum salary contract that however isn’t guaranteed.
Each team can have up to six such agreements – called Exhibit 10 contracts – at a time.
An Exhibit 10 contract can then be converted into a two-way contract, a hybrid deal that lets a player turn out for both an NBA team and its G League affiliate.
If a player on an Exhibit 10 contract is kept on the 15-man roster past the start of the regular season, his contract becomes a standard minimum deal. 
While Tominaga obviously wishes he could have been drafted, he’s pressing on.
“It’s a good step, happy to get the offer like that. It’s my first step to be able to make my dream.”
Just seven players of Japanese origin have plied their trade in the NBA since it was founded in 1946. Only two – Rui Hachimura and Yuki Kawamura – are currently active.
Tominaga, a Nagoya native, is already a household name in Japan.
He has participated in two editions of the Olympic Games, first as a member of the 3X3 team in Tokyo 2020, then for the men’s basketball team in Paris 2024.
“I’m happy to have a lot of fans, it’s a good feeling. But it’s a little bit hard to go outside,” he laughed.
Nonetheless, Tominaga knows there are still aspects of his game he’ll need to work on, to realise his dream.
“I got to get more physical, I got to get more strong. I think I’ve also got to improve on ball-handling stuff,” he said.
“Keep growing, keep trying hard. Keep showing what I can do.”